U.S. patent number 10,916,572 [Application Number 16/534,899] was granted by the patent office on 2021-02-09 for pixel of image sensor using high-speed charge transfer.
This patent grant is currently assigned to UNIST(ULSAN NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY). The grantee listed for this patent is UNIST(ULSAN NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY). Invention is credited to Seong Jin Kim, Seung Hyun Lee.
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United States Patent |
10,916,572 |
Kim , et al. |
February 9, 2021 |
Pixel of image sensor using high-speed charge transfer
Abstract
A pixel of an image sensor, which is capable of resolving a
depth error occurring in high-speed charge transfer, includes a
detector including a plurality of doped regions configured to
receive light and transfer generated electrons; and a demodulator
configured to receive the electrons from the detector through a
plurality of transfer gates and demodulate the electrons, wherein a
first doped region from among the plurality of doped regions is
doped to have a first pinning voltage, and a second doped region
from among the plurality of doped regions is located adjacent to
the first doped region and doped to have a second pinning voltage
higher than the first pinning voltage, wherein the plurality of
transfer gates is located adjacent to the second doped region.
Inventors: |
Kim; Seong Jin (Anyang-si,
KR), Lee; Seung Hyun (Dongnae-gu, KR) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
UNIST(ULSAN NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY) |
Ulsan |
N/A |
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
UNIST(ULSAN NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY) (Ulsan, KR)
|
Family
ID: |
1000005352654 |
Appl.
No.: |
16/534,899 |
Filed: |
August 7, 2019 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20200227453 A1 |
Jul 16, 2020 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Jan 16, 2019 [KR] |
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10-2019-0005854 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L
27/14612 (20130101); H01L 27/14601 (20130101); H01L
27/14607 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01L
27/146 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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20110093212 |
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Aug 2011 |
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KR |
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20180137245 |
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Dec 2018 |
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KR |
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Other References
Office Action for Korean Application No. 10-2019-0005854, dated
Jun. 2, 2020 (w/machine translation). cited by applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Lee; Cheung
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Klarquist Sparkman, LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A pixel of an image sensor, the pixel comprising: a detector
comprising a plurality of doped regions configured to receive light
and transfer generated electrons; and a demodulator configured to
receive the electrons from the detector through a plurality of
transfer gates and demodulate the electrons, wherein a first doped
region from among the plurality of doped regions is doped to have a
first pinning voltage, and a second doped region from among the
plurality of doped regions is located adjacent to the first doped
region and doped to have a second pinning voltage higher than the
first pinning voltage, wherein the plurality of transfer gates is
located adjacent to the second doped region, wherein the first
doped region is coupled to and tapers toward the second doped
region, and the second doped region is narrower than the first
doped region such that the first doped region and the second doped
region are configured in a funnel shape, and wherein a non-doped
region of the first doped region comprises a hole area located at a
position corresponding to a radial line of the funnel shape of the
first doped region and the second doped region.
2. The pixel of claim 1, wherein the second doped region comprises
a plurality of the second doped regions, wherein the plurality of
second doped regions is located adjacent to the first doped region
to be symmetric with respect to a central portion of the first
doped region.
3. The pixel of claim 1, wherein the plurality of transfer gates
comprises at least two transfer gates, wherein the at least two
transfer gates are located adjacent to the second doped region and
each form an angle equal to or greater than 45.degree. and equal to
or less than 90.degree. with an imaginary line passing through a
center of the first doped region and a center of the second doped
region.
4. The pixel of claim 3, wherein the demodulator further comprises
a drain gate, wherein the drain gate is located adjacent to the
second doped region.
5. The pixel of claim 4, wherein the drain gate is located on the
imaginary line to be adjacent to the second doped region between
the plurality of transfer gates.
6. The pixel of claim 1, wherein the pixel comprises a plurality of
subpixels, wherein each of the plurality of subpixels comprises the
detector and the demodulator.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application
No. 10-2019-0005854, filed on Jan. 16, 2019, in the Korean
Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is
incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
BACKGROUND
1. Field
One or more embodiments of the disclosure relate to a pixel
structure for resolving a depth error occurring in high-speed
charge transfer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, portable apparatuses (e.g., digital cameras and mobile
communication terminals) including image sensors have been
developed and sold. An image sensor includes an array of small
photodiodes called photosites or pixels.
In order to obtain a three-dimensional image by using an image
sensor, it is necessary to obtain information about a distance
between an object and the image sensor as well as information about
a color. In general, an image reconstructed by using the distance
between the object and the image sensor is referred to as a depth
image in the relevant field. In general, the depth image may be
obtained by using near-infrared light other than visible light.
Examples of methods of obtaining distance information from a sensor
to an object include a time-of-flight (TOF) method involving
measuring a time taken for light to travel by emitting light to the
object and detecting light reflected from the object. An
infrared-based depth camera emits infrared light to an object,
detects light reflected from the object, and calculates a distance
between the infrared-based depth camera and the object by measuring
the TOF. The calculated distance is used as a depth of a depth
image.
When electrons or charges generated by light emitted to and then
reflected from an object are not appropriately sorted and
accommodated, an error occurs in calculating distance information
by using an image sensor. That is, electrons or charges generated
by photodiodes need to be transferred to each gate at a high speed
and thus various studies have been conducted. However, distance
calculation in each study is costly and relatively inaccurate.
SUMMARY
One or more embodiments of the disclosure include an optimized
pixel structure for resolving an error occurring in high-speed
charge transfer.
Additional aspects will be set forth in part in the description
which follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description,
or may be learned by practice of the presented embodiments of the
disclosure.
According to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, a pixel of
an image sensor includes: a detector including a plurality of doped
regions configured to receive light and transfer generated
electrons; and a demodulator configured to receive the electrons
from the detector through a plurality of transfer gates and
demodulate the electrons, wherein a first doped region from among
the plurality of doped regions is doped to have a first pinning
voltage, and a second doped region from among the plurality of
doped regions is located adjacent to the first doped region and
doped to have a second pinning voltage higher than the first
pinning voltage, wherein the plurality of transfer gates is located
adjacent to the second doped region.
The second doped region may include a plurality of the second doped
regions, wherein the plurality of second doped regions is located
adjacent to the first doped region to be symmetric with respect to
a central portion of the first doped region.
The first doped region may include a hole area that is not
doped.
The plurality of transfer gates may include at least two transfer
gates, wherein the at least two transfer gates are located adjacent
to the second doped region and each form an angle equal to or
greater than 45.degree. and equal to or less than 90.degree. with
an imaginary line passing through a center of the first doped
region and a center of the second doped region.
The demodulator may further include a drain gate, wherein the drain
gate is located adjacent to the second doped region.
The drain gate may be located on the imaginary line to be adjacent
to the second doped region between the plurality of transfer
gates.
The pixel may include a plurality of subpixels, wherein each of the
plurality of subpixels includes the detector and the
demodulator.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and/or other aspects will become apparent and more readily
appreciated from the following description of the embodiments of
the disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings
in which:
FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams for describing indirect time of flight
(I-TOF);
FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams for describing a pixel structure of a
conventional image sensor;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram for describing elements of a pixel
according to an embodiment of the disclosure;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the pixel having a 2-wing unit structure
according to an embodiment of the disclosure;
FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams for describing a movement of electrons
due to a drift force according to a potential difference in the
pixel according to an embodiment of the disclosure;
FIG. 6 is a diagram for describing a position of a transfer gate
according to an embodiment of the disclosure;
FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams for describing a pixel structure
according to various embodiments of the disclosure;
FIG. 8 is a diagram for describing a flow of electrons in the pixel
according to an embodiment of the disclosure;
FIG. 9 is a diagram for describing the pixel including a drain gate
unit structure according to an embodiment of the disclosure;
FIG. 10 is a diagram for describing an operation of a drain gate
(DG) of the disclosure;
FIGS. 11A and 11B are diagrams for describing various embodiments
of a unit structure including a DG of the disclosure; and
FIG. 12 is a diagram for describing a flow of electrons in the
pixel including a DG according to an embodiment of the
disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the
disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying
drawings. As the disclosure allows for various changes and numerous
embodiments, embodiments of the disclosure will be illustrated in
the drawings and described in detail in the written description.
However, this is not intended to limit the disclosure to particular
modes of practice, and it is to be appreciated that all changes,
equivalents, and/or substitutes that do not depart from the spirit
and technical scope of the disclosure are encompassed in the
disclosure. Like reference numerals denote like elements in the
drawings.
As used in various embodiments of the disclosure, the expressions
"include", "may include" and other conjugates refer to the
existence of a corresponding disclosed function, operation, or
constituent element, and do not limit one or more additional
functions, operations, or constituent elements. Further, as used in
various embodiments of the disclosure, the terms "include", "have"
and their conjugates may be construed to denote a certain
characteristic, number, step, operation, constituent element,
component or a combination thereof, but may not be construed to
exclude the existence of or a possibility of addition of one or
more other characteristics, numbers, steps, operations, constituent
elements, components or combinations thereof.
Further, as used in various embodiments of the disclosure, the
expression "or" includes any or all combinations of words
enumerated together. For example, the expression "A or B" may
include A, may include B, or may include both A and B.
While expressions including ordinal numbers, such as "first" and
"second", as used in various embodiments of the disclosure may
modify various constituent elements, such constituent elements are
not limited by the above expressions. For example, the above
expressions do not limit the sequence and/or importance of the
corresponding constituent elements. The above expressions may be
used merely for the purpose of distinguishing a constituent element
from other constituent elements. For example, a first user device
and a second user device indicate different user devices although
both of them are user devices. For example, a first constituent
element may be referred to as a second constituent element, and
likewise a second constituent element may also be referred to as a
first constituent element without departing from the scope of
various embodiments of the disclosure.
When a component is referred to as being "connected" or "accessed"
to or by any other component, it should be understood that the
component may be directly connected or accessed by the other
component, but another new component may also be interposed between
them. Contrarily, when a component is referred to as being
"directly connected" or "directly accessed" to or by any other
component, it should be understood that there is no new component
between the component and the other component.
The term such as "unit", "module", "part", or the like used in
embodiments of the disclosure indicates an element, which performs
at least one function or operation, and the element may be
implemented by hardware or software, or by a combination of
hardware and software. Also, unless a plurality of modules, units,
or parts need to be implemented as individual hardware, the
plurality of modules, units, or parts may be integrated into at
least one module or chip and implemented as at least one
processor.
The terms used in the present specification are merely used to
describe embodiments of the disclosure, and are not intended to
limit the disclosure. An expression used in the singular
encompasses the expression of the plural, unless it has a clearly
different meaning in the context.
Unless defined otherwise, all terms used herein, including
technical terms and scientific terms, have the same meaning as
commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which
various embodiments of the disclosure pertain.
Such terms as those defined in a generally used dictionary are to
be interpreted to have the meanings equal to the contextual
meanings in the relevant field of art, and are not to be
interpreted to have ideal or excessively formal meanings unless
clearly defined in various embodiments of the disclosure.
Expressions such as "at least one of," when preceding a list of
elements, modify the entire list of elements and do not modify the
individual elements of the list.
The disclosure will now be described more fully with reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which various embodiments of the
disclosure are shown.
FIGS. 1A and 1B are diagrams for describing indirect time of flight
(I-TOF).
Referring to FIG. 1A, a conventional image sensor may detect light
(referred to as received light) emitted to an object and then
reflected from the object. In this case, the received light may be,
but is not limited to, an electromagnetic wave in a near-infrared
range.
The conventional image sensor may find out a distance to the object
based on I-TOF. In detail, a pixel of the conventional image sensor
may compare a phase difference of the received light. The pixel may
accept electrons generated by in-phase light through an in-phase
gate, and may accept electrons generated by out-of-phase light
through an out-of-phase gate. In this case, A may correspond to a
portion of the received light that is in phase with light for
modulation, and B may correspond to a portion that is out of phase.
The pixel may calculate a distance
.times..times..times..times. ##EQU00001## to the object based on a
ratio of electrons accepted through gates, that is, a ratio of
electrons generated by the portions A and B.
Electrons generated by the received light may be accepted through
gates after the in-phase gate and the out-of-phase gate in the
pixel are turned on or off. Referring to FIG. 1B, when electrons
generated by the received light do not rapidly move due to the
in-phase gate and the out-of-phase gate, electrons generated by the
portions A and B may not be accepted as intended.
In this case, the pixel may determine that a ratio of light having
a phase difference is different from the actual received light, and
an error may occur in measuring the distance to the object. For
example, a ratio of electrons generated by the received light
reaching the pixel is
##EQU00002## but, in the case of FIG. 1B, a phase difference ratio
becomes
.times..times. ##EQU00003## and thus an error occurs in calculating
the distance to the object.
That is, in order to prevent such an error, it is necessary to
transfer electrons generated by received light to each gate at a
high speed.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are diagrams for describing a pixel structure of a
conventional image sensor.
A pixel of FIG. 2A forms a potential gradient by applying a voltage
to a photodiode region by using two or more polysilicons. In
detail, because the two or more polysilicons are blocked by an
insulator so that current does not flow, a voltage may be applied
to a photodiode portion in the pixel. A potential difference may
occur according to a voltage applied from dR.sub.1 to dR.sub.n, and
electrons may be transferred to a demodulation region due to a
drift force caused by the potential difference. Accordingly, the
pixel of FIG. 2A may transfer electrons generated by reflected
light to each gate at a high speed.
However, a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) method is
performed only by using one polysilicon. When one polysilicon is
used, a bias may not be applied and electrons have to move through
diffusion, and thus the pixel has to be implemented by using a
charge-coupled device (CCD) method. However, the CCD method
requires high costs.
A pixel of FIG. 2B uses a difference of a pinning voltage according
to the width of an n-doped region, without separately applying a
voltage. In detail, a low pinning voltage is applied to a narrow
n-doped region, and a high pinning voltage is applied to a wide
n-doped region. Accordingly, electrons may be transferred to each
gate at a high speed due to a drift force through a potential
difference.
However, in order to generate a sufficient potential gradient, the
pixel of FIG. 2B has a long length and an electron movement time is
long. As an electron movement time increases, the risk of an error
of FIG. 1 increases.
A pixel according to various embodiments of the disclosure for
solving the above problems is suggested.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram for describing elements of a pixel 300
according to an embodiment of the disclosure.
Referring to FIG. 3, the pixel 300 may include a demodulator 310
and a detector 320. The demodulator 310 may include a transfer gate
(TG) 311, a floating diffusion node (FD) 312, and a drain gate (DG)
313. The detector 320 may include a light-receiving area 321 and a
hole area 322.
The pixel 300 of an image sensor may have any of various structures
such as a 1-transistor structure, a 3-transistor structure, a
4-transistor structure, or a 5-transistor structure, and may have a
structure of sharing some transistors with a pixel adjacent to the
pixel 300. For example, the pixel 300 of the image sensor may
further include a reset transistor (RX) for resetting the FD 312 in
response to a reset signal (RS), a drive transistor (DX) for
generating an output signal corresponding to charges stored in the
FD 312, and a select transistor (SX) for outputting an output
signal in response to a select signal (SEL). Also, the RX, the DX,
and the SX may be shared between adjacent pixels.
The TG 311 may be a gate operating at a predetermined duty ratio to
transfer electrons from the detector 320 to the demodulator 310.
For example, the TG 311 may include an out-of phase gate and an
in-phase gate operating in phase with an electromagnetic wave for
modulation.
The FD 312 is spaced apart from the detector 320. Electrons
generated by the detector 320 and transferred through the TG 311
may be stored in the FD 312. The electrons transferred through the
TG 311 to the demodulator 310 may be accumulated in the FD 312, and
light modulated with the accumulated electrons may be demodulated.
In an embodiment of the disclosure, the FD 312 may be formed by
being doped with second conductivity-type (e.g., n-type)
impurities.
The DG 313 may be provided to emit electrons or photo-charges
generated during an undesired period of time.
The detector 320 may include the light-receiving area 321, for
example, a photodiode, for receiving reflected light.
The light-receiving area 321 may generate charges (e.g.,
photo-charges) based on incident reflected light. For example,
electron-hole pairs may be generated in response to incident light,
and the pixel 300 may collect such electrons or holes.
The light-receiving area 321 may include a photodiode, a pinned
photodiode (PPD), a phototransistor, a transfer gate, or a
combination thereof.
The light-receiving area 321 may include the same p-type
semiconductor substrate, e.g., silicon substrate, as a p-type
substrate P-SUB. Also, the light-receiving area 321 may include an
n-type impurity region, or an n-type impurity region and a p-type
impurity region alternately stacked in a vertical direction. The TG
311 may be located at an end portion of the light-receiving area
321.
The light-receiving area 321 according to an embodiment of the
disclosure may include one or more doped regions doped with n-type
impurities of different concentrations. The doped regions doped
with the j-type impurities of different concentrations may have
different pinning voltages.
The light-receiving area 321 may include the hole area 322 that is
not doped with n-type impurities. The hole area 322 may have a
pinning voltage lower than those of other doped regions.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the pixel 300 having a 2-wing unit
structure according to an embodiment of the disclosure.
Referring to FIG. 4, the light-receiving area 321 of the detector
320 of the disclosure may include a first doped region 321-1 and a
second doped region 321-2 doped with n-type impurities of different
concentrations. In this case, the second doped region 321-2 may
have an n-type doping concentration higher than that of the first
doped region 321-1, and thus a pinning voltage of the second doped
region 321-2 may be higher than that of the first doped region
321-1.
The second doped region 321-2 may be narrower than the first doped
region 321-1, and the first doped region 321-1 may taper and may be
connected in a funnel shape to the second doped region 321-2.
Accordingly, electrons gathered in the second doped region 321-2
may easily move through the TG 311 to the FD 312.
Furthermore, the detector 320 of the disclosure may include the
hole area 322, and a potential voltage of the hole area 322 may be
lower than that of the first doped region 321-1 and the second
doped region 321-2. In this case, the hole area 322 may be located
in the first doped region 321-1, and may be located at a position
corresponding to a radial line of the funnel shape from the second
doped region 321-2 to the first doped region 321-1.
In this case, a potential gradient may be formed in an order of the
hole area 322, the first doped region 321-1, and the second doped
region 321-2 in the detector 320 of the pixel 300. That is,
electrons generated in the light-receiving area 321 by reflected
light may move to the TG 311 due to the potential gradient formed
in the order of the hole area 322, the first doped region 321-1,
and the second doped region 321-2.
According to the above embodiment of the disclosure, because a
potential gradient may be formed in the light-receiving area 321
without using a plurality of polysilicons, the potential gradient
may be formed by using a CMOS method at low costs. The above
embodiment is merely an example, and a potential gradient may be
formed through doping in various ways.
A first TG 311-1 and a second TG 311-2 may be turned on/off in
different operation cycles. In detail, the first TG 311-1 may be
implemented to have the same frequency as that of light for
modulation in a pixel. In this case, the first TG 311-1 may accept
electrons generated by in-phase light. In contrast, the second TG
311-2 may be implemented to have a cycle complementary to that of
the first TG 311-1, and may accept electrons generated by
out-of-phase light. Such a structure having two transfer gates may
be referred to as a 2-wing structure.
A potential gradient may be formed when the first TG 311-1 and the
second TG 311-2 are turned on. In this case, electrons existing in
the second doped region 321-2 may move more efficiently to each
transfer gate due to a drift force according to the potential
gradient. Light modulated with electrons accumulated in the FD 312
through the first TG 311-1 and the second TG 311-2 may be
demodulated by the demodulator 310.
In this case, the first TG 311-1 and the second TG 311-2 may be
located at specific positions and at specific angles in the second
doped region 321-2. In this case, the specific angles may be angles
formed with an imaginary line that connects the centers of the
first doped region 321-1 and the second doped region 321-2, which
will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 6.
FIGS. 5A and 5B are diagrams for describing a movement of electrons
due to a drift force according to a potential difference in the
pixel 300 according to an embodiment of the disclosure.
Referring to FIG. 5A, electrons generated in the light-receiving
area 321 may be transferred due to a drift force according to a
potential gradient.
A voltage of the hole area 322 may be the lowest. Accordingly,
electrons generated in the hole area 322 may move to the first
doped region 321-1. Likewise, a voltage of the first doped region
321-1 may be lower than that of the second doped region 321-2.
Accordingly, the electrons transferred from the hole area 322 and
electrons generated in the first doped region 321-1 may move to the
second doped region 321-2.
Although the voltages of the hole area 322, the first doped region
321-1, and the second doped region 321-2 may gradually increase as
shown in FIG. 5A, this is merely an example and the voltages may
increase stepwise according to a doping state.
Referring to FIG. 5B, when the first TG 311-1 is turned on, a
voltage of the first TG 311-1 increases. Accordingly, electrons
generated in the second doped region 321-2 or transferred from the
first doped region 321-1 may move to the FD 312 due to a drift
force according to a potential gradient with the first TG
311-1.
In this case, the second TG 311-2 is turned off, and a voltage of
the second TG 311-2 in the off state is maintained at a low level.
Accordingly, electrons move only to the first TG 311-1 as described
above.
When the second TG 311-2 that has a cycle complementary to that of
the first TG 311-1 is turned on, the first TG 311-1 is turned off.
In this case, a voltage of the second TG 311-2 may increase, and
electrons may move to the FD 312 due to a drift force according to
a potential gradient with the second TG 311-2.
FIG. 6 is a diagram for describing a position of a transfer gate
according to an embodiment of the disclosure.
Referring to FIG. 6, the first TG 311-1 may be located to form a
predetermined angle or more with an imaginary line 600 passing
through the center of the first doped region 321-1 and the center
of the second doped region 321-2. In this case, each of the center
of the first doped region 321-1 and the center of the second doped
region 321-2 may be, but is not limited to, the center of mass.
In this case, an angle 620 formed between the first TG 311-1 and
the imaginary line 600 may be an angle formed between the imaginary
line 600 and a line 610 perpendicular to a path through which
electrons are introduced into the first TG 311-1.
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the angle 620 may be
equal to or greater than 45.degree. and equal to or less than
90.degree.. When the angle 620 at which a transfer gate is located
is 90.degree., electrons may laterally move past the transfer gate,
and the transfer gate may accept electrons due to a drift force
according to a potential gradient formed when the transfer gate is
turned on/off. In this case, since there is no transfer gate in a
lateral movement path of the electrons, noise due to the transfer
gate may be reduced.
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the first TG 311-1
and the second TG 311-2 may be located adjacent to the second doped
region 321-2 to have the same angle with the imaginary line
600.
However, the above angle is merely an example, and a transfer gate
may be located at any of various angles according to various
embodiments.
FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams for describing a pixel structure
according to various embodiments of the disclosure.
Referring to FIG. 7A, the pixel 300 may include two unit structures
of FIG. 4 that are symmetric with respect to the hole area 322.
According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the pixel 300 may
include two or more second doped regions 321-2, which are located
adjacent to the first doped region 321-1 to be symmetric with
respect to the hole area 322 or a central portion of the first
doped region 321-1.
Although the hole area 322 is located at the central portion of the
first doped region 321-1 in FIG. 7A, the disclosure is not limited
thereto, and according to an embodiment of the disclosure, a
plurality of the hole areas 322 may be uniformly arranged along the
central portion of the first doped region 321-1 in a direction
corresponding to a direction in which the second doped regions
321-2 are located. In this case, when the plurality of hole areas
322 are uniformly arranged, it may mean that the hole areas 322 are
arranged at a predetermined angle and distance with respect to the
central portion of the first doped region 321-1.
That is, a direction in which the hole area 322 and the first doped
region 321-1 are formed and a direction in which the first doped
region 321-1 and the second doped region 321-2 are formed may be
the same. Accordingly, electrons or charges generated in the hole
area 322 and the first doped region 321-1 may rapidly move to the
second doped region 322-2 due to a drift force continuously applied
in the same direction.
The first TG 311-1 and a third TG 311-3 may be implemented to
accept electrons generated by in-phase light, and the second TG
311-2 and a fourth TG 311-4 may be implemented to accept electrons
generated by out-of-phase light. However, this is an example, and
the first TG 311-1 and the fourth TG 311-4 may be implemented to
accept electrons generated by in-phase light, and the second TG
311-2 and the third TG 311-3 may be implemented to accept electrons
generated by out-of-phase light.
Referring to FIG. 7B, the pixel 300 may include a plurality of unit
structures of FIG. 4 that are symmetric with respect to the
demodulator 310. That is, the pixel 300 may include a plurality of
subpixels, and each subpixel may include the unit structure of FIG.
4.
The pixel 300 of each of FIGS. 7A and 7B may maximize a
light-receiving area for receiving light and may reduce a distance
by which electrons move to the demodulator 310.
FIG. 8 is a diagram for describing a flow of electrons in the pixel
according to an embodiment of the disclosure.
FIG. 8 illustrates a flow of electrons in the pixel 300 having a
2-wing unit structure. Referring to FIG. 8, an area closer to blue
has a lower voltage, and an area closer to red has a higher
voltage. Electrons may move due to a drift force from a hole area
point 810 having a low voltage to a transfer gate point 820 having
a high voltage.
In detail, electrons may move due to a drift force in two steps.
That is, electrons may move due to a drift force caused by a
potential gradient according to a doping concentration from the
hole area point 810 to a doped region point 811. Next, the
electrons may move due to a drift force caused by a potential
difference due to a voltage difference according to on/off of a
transfer gate from the doped region point 811 to the transfer gate
point 820.
FIG. 9 is a diagram for describing the pixel 300 including a drain
gate unit structure according to an embodiment of the
disclosure.
Referring to FIG. 9, the pixel 300 may include the DG 313 in
addition to the first TG 311-1 and the second TG 311-2. The DG 313
may be located between the first TG 311-1 and the second TG 311-2.
In detail, the DG 313 may be located on the imaginary line 600
between the first TG 311-1 and the second TG 311-2. Although the
angle 620 between the imaginary line 600 and the first TG 311-1 and
the second TG 311-2 is 90.degree. in FIG. 9, the disclosure is not
limited thereto.
When the first TG 311-1 and the second TG 311-2 are turned off, the
DG 313 is used to eliminate background light, which will be
described in detail with reference to FIG. 10.
FIG. 10 is a diagram for describing an operation of a DG of the
disclosure.
An image sensor including the pixel 300 of the disclosure may more
intermittently emit light with the same optical power to obtain a
high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
In this case, background light 1000 may be included in light
(referred to as received light) emitted to an object and then
reflected from the object. The background light 1000 may cause an
error when the image sensor calculates a distance to the
object.
The pixel 300 may separately accept the received light through an
in-phase gate and an out-of-phase gate. In this case, background
light 1010 may be included in signals accepted in the in-phase gate
and the out-of-phase gate.
The DG 313 of the disclosure may determine any signal entering
while the in-phase gate and the out-of-phase gate do not operate as
background light 1020.
That is, the DG 313 may be turned on while the in-phase gate and
the out-of-phase gate do not operate and may prevent saturation of
a photodiode (PD) by eliminating electrons accumulated in the PD of
a light-receiving area.
FIGS. 11A and 11B are diagrams for describing various embodiments
of a unit structure including a DG of the disclosure.
Referring to FIG. 11A, the pixel 300 may include two unit
structures of FIG. 9 that are symmetric with respect to the hole
area 322.
In this case, the first TG 311-1 and the third TG 311-3 may be
implemented to accept electrons generated by in-phase light, and
the second TG 311-2 and the fourth TG 311-4 may be implemented to
accept electrons generated by out-of-phase light. However, this is
an example, and the first TG 311-1 and the fourth TG 311-4 may be
implemented to accept electrons generated by in-phase light, and
the second TG 311-2 and the third TG 311-3 may be implemented to
accept electrons generated by out-of-phase light.
Referring to FIG. 11B, the pixel 300 may include a plurality of
unit structures of FIG. 11A in a binning arrangement.
In the case of a plurality of unit structures in a binning
arrangement as shown in FIG. 11B, a movement distance of electrons
generated in a PD may be kept short. In this case, the pixel 300
may not apply a separate potential gradient. However, the
disclosure is not limited thereto, and a potential difference may
be added through doping.
Because a movement distance of electrons generated in a
light-receiving area is short, even when a modulation frequency
increases, the pixel 300 may effectively improve accuracy in
calculating a distance to an object.
FIG. 12 is a diagram for describing a flow of electrons in the
pixel 300 including a DG according to an embodiment of the
disclosure.
FIG. 12 illustrates a flow of electrons in the pixel 300 including
a unit structure including a DG. Referring to FIG. 12, an area
closer to blue has a lower voltage, and an area closer to red has a
higher voltage. Electrons may move due to a drift force from a hole
area point 1210 having a low voltage to a transfer gate point 1220
having a high voltage.
In detail, electrons may move due to a drift force in two steps.
That is, electrons may move due to a drift force caused by a
potential gradient according to a doping concentration from the
hole area point 1210 to a doped region point 1211. Next, the
electrons may move due to a drift force caused by a potential
difference due to a voltage difference according to on/off of a
transfer gate from the doped region point 1211 to the transfer gate
point 1220.
According to the one or more embodiments of the disclosure, there
may be provided a pixel structure capable of forming a drift force
according to a potential gradient in a pixel and obtaining a depth
image with improved precision at low costs by allowing for a
lateral movement of electrons due to the drift force.
The scope of the disclosure is not limited by such effects.
While one or more embodiments of the disclosure have been described
with reference to the figures, it will be understood by one of
ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details
may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of
the disclosure as defined by the following claims.
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